Ladd Springs (Ladd Springs, Book #1) (6 page)

His
grasp loosened, but remained intact. “Well?”

Simultaneously
enjoying the feel of his hands but not caring for the ease with which he
assumed permission, she hesitated. Delaney hadn’t been touched by a man in
almost two years, and even though she thought she had moved past the need, his
warm touch assured her she had not.

Nick
let go, the sudden withdrawal jarring. She felt lighter, emptier. Delaney
cleared her throat. “Well, if you can’t find your way out, I guess I can lead
you to the trailhead.”

Nick
dished out a salty grin. “Appreciate it.”

When
he released her, Delaney darted up the trail like a deer before he could stop
her.

Doing
his level best to keep up, Nick could not maneuver the passageway quite as
easily. No longer hiking, they were half-climbing, half-scaling rocks, but he
wasn’t about to let her get too far ahead of him. She was likely to run off
without him. He squeezed himself between branches and trees and bushes and
slipped on a moss-covered rock. “Ouch!” A jagged limb stabbed into his side. He
looked up, but she was yards ahead of him. Managing the last section as quickly
as he could, Nick reached the top, heartened by the sight of her waiting. Winded
himself, he was surprised by her lack of fatigue. “You’re in good shape.”

“When
you grow up around here, climbing becomes second nature.” She turned, pushed her
sleeves up her arms and headed out.

Matching
his stride to hers, Nick walked alongside Delaney. Apparently content with
their silence, she didn’t speak a word. There was nothing but the muted sound
of boots hitting clay, the piercing quiet of nature. He’d seen a creek below,
but there was no evidence of it up here. Only dirt, air and the occasional
stream of sunlight marked their hike. Peering at her from the side, Nick found
it odd that neither she nor her uncle welcomed his offer. They weren’t even the
slightest bit interested, which didn’t make sense. Money was money. The taxes
were going unpaid. Would they rather lose it at auction than sell it to him? Was
it possible Delaney didn’t know?

“So
you grew up on this land?” he asked, opening conversation in his quest for
information.

“I
did.”

“Lived
here your whole life?”

“Pretty
much.” Delaney kept her line of vision on the ground ahead of them.

“Even
when you were married?”

She
flicked him a glance lit by annoyance. “I lived on the other side of town back
then.”

Married
her high school sweetheart and from what people around town said, the two
seemed like a nice couple. Both families approved. They had a child and then
one day Delaney up and left him and he moved out of town. That’s where the
details became murky. Lips zipped closed and backs turned to business. But a
man didn’t leave a woman that quick unless he had another bed to sleep in. Did
a woman? Glancing sideways at her, she didn’t strike him as the type. Needy
women cheated, vain women cheated, neither of which Delaney seemed to be. “Was
your husband from around here?”

“Yes.”

Queen
of the short and sweet. He smiled inwardly. “Mind if I ask what happened?”

“I
do.”

Nick
laughed softly and held an overhanging branch out of her way, clearing her path
as she passed beneath. “Is it always this difficult to have a conversation with
you?”

She
looked up at him, but the previous irritation seemed to be gone. “Depends on
the subject matter.”

“How
long have you lived with your uncle?”

“Since
Felicity was eight.”

“Ten
years.”

She
smirked. “You’re good in math.”

Nick
smiled, unaffected by the remark. He liked looking at her face. Soft and
flushed from the hike, her skin was lightly tanned from a life lived outdoors,
her eyes brown, yet her brows were dark, almost black. A sharp contrast to her
pale blonde hair—a contrast that appealed to him.

But
then again, most things female appealed to him. “Why the move? Doesn’t appear
you and your uncle get along too well.”

She
lowered her eyes and returned focus to the trail. “Sometimes circumstance
dictates the living arrangements.”

“Bad
divorce?”

“Easy
divorce.”

“Another
woman?”

Delaney
replied from the side of her mouth, “Would have been nicer.”

Nicer—than
another woman? Nick’s thoughts circled around what could have caused her to
leave. Never married himself, there were few things he could think of worse
than infidelity. “Does he keep in touch with Felicity?”

“The
occasional phone call, annual birthday card.”

“So
no infidelity, no custody fight. What kind of man walks away with hardly a
glance back?” And leaves a woman as good-looking as you.

As
they came up to a waterfall, the cascade of water over rock and cliff quickly
overwhelmed the quiet. With his mind divided between the roar of water and the
intensity of her gaze, Nick could feel Delaney gauge him, making the mental
calculations one would before divulging proprietary information.

She
raised her voice over the crash of water and said, “The kind of man where the
bottom of the river looks a whole lot different than the surface, Mr. Harris. The
deeper you probed, the darker he became. We’re almost there,” she directed, and
continued their hike without another word.

Nick
trailed her for a while, his mind streaming with curiosity, his eyes glued to her
rear. Delaney Wilkins swaggered more than walked. She was confident in these
woods, on her horse, but he detected insecurity with regard to her claim on
this land. She had a lot riding on her daughter’s inheriting the place it
seemed, but something told him she feared it would not happen. Lawyer talk
aside, all Ernie had to do was sign it over to someone else and she lost. Did
she have a backup plan?

Once
reunited with her horse, she wasted no time sliding the reins over the mare’s
head. She pointed. “The house is that way.”

Nick
knew the way from here. “Thanks.”

The
horse blew an exhalation as Delaney prepared to mount. Watching her jump on, he
marveled at her agility. Even in jeans, she made the transition with ease. As
she smiled down at him, the sun caught the gold strands in her hair. She sat
astride the animal, her slender jean-clad legs pushed open wide, shoulders back—in
command, comfortable. Sexy. He felt a spark of desire. “Where are you off to
now?” he asked, because wherever it was, he wouldn’t mind joining her.

“I
have to work.”

“What
kind of work do you do?” he asked innocently.

“Bookkeeping.”

“You
an accountant?”

“No
degree, but I know the ins and outs of finance as well as any certified
accountant.” She lifted a shoulder and added, “I handle the books for several
area businesses.”

“Nice.”

“It
pays the bills.”

“Something
else you’d rather be doing?”

She
laughed, almost despite herself. “I’d rather look after the horses all day than
fiddle with numbers, but they don’t pay me anything,” she said, then seemed to
catch herself. The merriment in her face shut down, her expression became
guarded.

He
chuckled. “No, but they
can
cost a fortune. You have other horses
besides this beauty?” he persisted, hoping to re-ignite the joy in her eyes.

Pleased
by the compliment to her mare, Delaney replied, “We have a total of six on property.
Nobody rides anymore but Felicity and I.”

“Why
keep them?” Seemed an expensive hobby for a woman on a limited budget.

Delaney
looked horrified. “I couldn’t get rid of them—they’re part of the family.”

Nick
nodded. People got pretty crazy when it came to their animals. He’d heard
stories where people would feed their cat before feeding themselves. It was an
alien concept to him. Traveling as much as he did, he didn’t have time for a
wife, let alone a dog.

“Well,
I better get going,” she said. “Thanks again for stepping in with Clem. It’s
good to see him squirm.”

The
comment drew Nick back to the scene in the woods and his insides hardened. It
was an image he’d rather forget but would enjoy finishing if the man ever gave
him the chance.

Chapter Six

Nick
decided a trip to town was warranted. Time for Plan B. Ernie wasn’t paying the
taxes. The county would only wait so long before they demanded payment, and
that payment could come in the form of tax deed sale. If dealing with the owner
regarding the sale wasn’t going to work, he’d deal with the local government. They’d
want their money, and if he offered a way for them to get it, they’d
jump—especially if enough incentive was involved. After all, it was an election
year.

Pulling
onto Main Street just shy of noon, Nick decided to get a bite to eat first. He’d
skipped breakfast due to a conference call, and his stomach was rumbling in
protest. The parking lot for Fran’s Diner was packed. The square cement
building had a curved entrance wall, peeling aqua paint and red neon-lettered
sign in an airstream font straight out of the fifties or sixties. It didn’t
appear Fran had spent a whole lot on either building or décor since the place
was built, but that was fine with him. From Montana to Texas, Colorado to New
York City, he’d be hard pressed to find a burger better than Fran’s. Although
he was accustomed to dining at five-star restaurants, there was something to be
said for a plain old-fashioned good food. Fat, juicy, served with American cheese,
fresh tomato and sweet onion, his last meal at Fran’s was memorable. Greasy on
the digestion, but memorable on the taste buds.

Nick
opened the metal-framed glass door and, suddenly dodging to one side, held it
open as a young woman and baby stroller hurtled toward him on her way out. He
nodded as she thanked him with a tip of her head and a smile. She looked
awfully young to have babies, he mused, his gaze trailing her narrow backside
as she passed. But that was small town living. Kids met and married their high
school sweethearts and never looked back—except for Delaney. For some reason
she ditched hers in fairly short order.

As
Nick joined the throng inside, his senses were quickly enveloped in a sensory
fest of greasy meat and French-fried potatoes. Thick layers of it hung in the
air, thrust out by a chaotic kitchen that sizzled with smoke amongst a fury of
activity. Waitresses hurried from red-vinyled booth to red-vinyled booth,
scribbling across notepads in rapid sequence. As expected, every seat in the
house was occupied, plus a healthy line crowded out from the hostess stand. A
tray full of burgers flew by him and his stomach growled.

Nick
moved to the end of the crowd and prepared to settle in for the wait when he
caught sight of a familiar face. At one end of the long counter, a young woman
sat alone, perched on the round red cushion of a metal barstool. Book in hand,
half-eaten burger on the plate in front of her, it was the strawberry-blonde
hair that snared his attention. He’d seen her before. The red-headed counter
waitress walked over and refilled the girl’s iced tea, smiled and said
something. The girl turned to thank the woman and a burst of pleasure erupted
inside him. Well, what do you know...? Opportunity truly came in all forms.

Abandoning
his space in line, Nick walked over to the young woman. After giving her a
minute to realize he was there, he introduced himself. Speaking over shouts
from the kitchen staff, he extended a hand, “I’m Nick Harris. I’ve been talking
to your uncle about purchasing the property. You’re Delaney Wilkins’ daughter,
aren’t you?”

Felicity
flipped her heart-shaped face up to him. “Oh,” she exclaimed quietly.

Was
that surprise he heard, or relief that she recognized who he was?

She
darted a glance around, then reached out to accept his hand. “Nice to meet you.
I’m Felicity.”

“Hi,
Felicity.” The two shook hands and Nick marveled at her fragile grasp. Her
fingers were like bones and skin within the meat of his palm, but warm to the
touch. Clearly, there was only one bull dog in the Wilkins family. “Taking a
break from school?” he prompted, wondering at her midday presence in the
restaurant.

“Oh
no,” she said, mildly flushing at the insinuation. “I’m a senior. Wednesdays
are half-days for me.”

“Half-days?”
Nick chuckled. “Wish there were such a thing as half-days when I was in
school.” She swallowed her smile and reached for her iced-tea. So she was shy,
to boot.
Interesting
. “Has your mother told you about me?”

Felicity
nodded.

“Order
up!” came the shout from behind the service counter. A waitress quickly
responded and yanked the paper ticket from above. She slid the heaping plates
from the ledge to her awaiting tray and then hurried off.

Ignoring
the eyes beginning to stray toward their conversation, Nick said, “I’ve been talking
to Mr. Ladd about turning the property into a showplace. I want to create the
gem of the South—
the
premier resort spa for people to come and enjoy the
beauty of Tennessee, become one with the land.” He noticed the man seated
behind Felicity leaned toward her nonchalantly, as though trying to dial in to
their conversation without being detected. “I run a group of eco-friendly spa
hotels.”

Her
eyes widened as curiosity took over. “She didn’t tell me that.”

He
smiled. Of course she didn’t. She didn’t want Felicity anywhere near a positive
opinion of him. But according to Delaney, Nick was looking at the rightful heir
of Ladd Springs, and getting this young woman on his side might prove
beneficial in his endeavor. “Well, she probably has a lot on her mind,” he said
genially. “I understand how it may have skipped her thoughts to tell you. May
I?”

Felicity
looked down at her plate, then up at him. She set her book down on the counter
and dabbed at her mouth with a paper napkin. She perked up with a smile. “Sure.
Why not?”

Nick
went into sales mode and explained his plans for the property. He made certain
to hit upon all of the environmentally friendly aspects of the project, the
warm and homey feel he wanted to incorporate into the hotel, as well as the
luxurious spa amenities. The red-headed counter waitress continually eyed him,
while the man seated next to her continued to listen in on their conversation. His
split attention became obvious when the waitress addressed him twice with no
response.

“I
offered to split off enough acreage for you and your family to stay and live on
the property,” Nick informed her. “Including full lifetime privileges at the
hotel and spa, my treat. A job, if you want it.” He winked. She laughed gaily
at that and he raised a brow. “What? Not interested in work?”

“Oh
no,” she exclaimed. Her finger shot to her lips. “I didn’t mean that!” Her
youth shone brightly in her embarrassment, her faintly freckled skin tinged
pink as she drew her hand away. “I only meant that I plan to have a career as a
flutist, not working at a hotel.” She collected herself and added, “But thanks,
anyway.”

“A
flutist?” he asked, thoroughly intrigued.

“Yes.”
She sat a little straighter and turned more fully to him. “I’m going to college
next year at the University of Tennessee. They have a phenomenal program where
I intend to further my skill.”

“You’re
a flutist
now
?”

“I
am,” she said, streaks of pride streaming through her eyes, demure yet vibrant
as she discussed her passion.

Nick
nodded. He’d found
someone’s
hot spot. Setting a hand to the counter, he
leaned over, but not too close. In these parts he was liable to get shot by
some unseen stranger deciding he’d taken one too many liberties with the fair
and impressionable young Wilkins girl. He cast a glance at the onlookers with a
cautious eye, then peered down at her and ventured, “College is pretty
expensive. You’re very fortunate to be able to attend your school of choice.”

Felicity’s
vigor lost its punch. When she didn’t respond, he knew his shot in the dark had
found its mark. “Your mom must be so proud of you, being accepted, following
your dream. That’s impressive stuff.”

“She
is.”

“Well,
if you’d like a job during your summer break, I’d love to have you at the
hotel,” Nick promised, speaking as though the matter of title had been decided
in his favor. “Having a flutist would be a tremendous asset to the Serenity
Spa.”

“Serenity
Spa?” she asked.

He
stood to his full six-foot-four stature. “That’s my trade name for the hotel
spas. In this case, I’d call it Serenity Springs Spa.” He grinned and asked in
a near conspiratorial tone, “What do you think?”

“I
like it.” She smiled, and he noted her previous warmth had returned.

“I’m
offering a generous amount for the property. You may want to discuss it with
your mother.” He lowered his voice so that only she could hear. “The money
could ensure you don’t have to work during your four years at the university,
make sure your mom can take care of those beautiful horses of hers.”

“She’d
love that!”

He
smiled. Hot button, number two. “There’d even be enough left over to build a
nice-sized cabin for you both to live in.”

Judging
by the wistful air that entered her gaze, Nick decided he was right on target. The
match was lit. It was time to let the fire build. “Listen,” he said and placed
a hand over his stomach. “It was nice talking to you, but I need to feed the
beast. Maybe I can hear you play one day?”

She
met his question with a polite nod. “Maybe.” When he took a step toward the
hostess booth, she added, “It was nice talking to you, Mr. Harris.”

After
meeting with her clients, Delaney swung by the post office and grocery, then
added a stop at the feed store on her way out of town. It was near three
o’clock and she needed to get back. Felicity would be home soon and she would
not come home to an empty cabin. Fortunately, the attorney had good news. He
had prepared an affidavit for Ashley to sign, stating that she had witnessed
the promise made from Ernie to her mother regarding the property. All it needed
was a signature. Her attorney had suggested she ask her uncle to create a
family trust, or sign over a quit-claim deed if he didn’t want to prepare a
will, but warned she’d better act soon. According to the county clerk, they
were putting together a list of properties in default on their taxes and the
letters to delinquent property owners would go out soon.

Delinquent
property owners
.
Ernie was a delinquent all right, and he had no business putting the Ladd
property in jeopardy. Delaney flipped on her turn signal, and checking for
traffic, pulled onto the road and headed out of town. The truck’s gauge for her
gas tank dinged. She looked down and grumbled under her breath. Dang thing ran
through more gas than a cow on a grassy field. Nearest station was five miles
ahead or three blocks back. She grunted. No time like the present. Spinning the
wheel in a hard right, she bounced over a dip in the street and accelerated. Next
corner, she stopped, looked both ways then jammed her foot to the brake. The
truck lurched forward in a hard jerk, but her focus had been pulled in a
different direction.

Catty-corner
across the road, she spotted Clem Sweeney standing outside a convenience store
speaking to two men—a very distinct duo she had seen before. From her vantage
point, she couldn’t make out their faces but there was no question about their
identity. They were her strangers in the woods. Same hats, same build, it was
them all right.
And they were talking to Clem
.

Fury
permeated every cell of her body. Steam blew out her ears. Leave it to him to
be tied up with those no good trespassers. Instinct nearly glued her foot to
the accelerator, but good sense intervened. Nothing good would come of
confronting Clem—not until she could use it to her advantage, anyway. If those
men were up to trouble on Ladd property, Uncle Ernie would not take kindly to
learning his darling Clem was mixed up with them. A slow smile tugged at her
mouth. And learn he would.

Taking
care not to draw attention to herself, Delaney took the turn, easy and slow. Some
days, driving a non-descript truck, much the same as half the town drove, had
its high points. She wouldn’t stand out in a crowd—or turning the corner as she
made her way to the gas station.

After
filling her tank, Delaney drove home, her thoughts running circles around
potential scenarios that involved Clem and the two men. With an elbow out the
open window, hair whipping to and fro, she suddenly understood Clem’s surprise
appearance in the woods. It was no coincidence he’d showed up yesterday at
precisely the time she was poking around the spot the men had been the day
before. He knew what they were doing there. Hell, he probably put them up to
it!

And
she would know, too. Soon enough. She had an appointment with the bank in the
morning, but after lunch she’d head back into the forest, and this time she’d
cover her tracks. No one would be the wiser to her whereabouts—not Clem and not
Nick. Though why Nick was so interested in following her continued to elude
her. He wasn’t from these parts. He didn’t know Clem, didn’t know her. He
didn’t know the woods. Didn’t he say so himself, asking her to lead him out
safely? Why bother to follow her? What was the point?